Display panel comprising an inclined surface

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a display apparatus includes preparing a panel with a panel layer displaying images, a first protection film on a first surface of the panel layer with a first adhesion layer, and a second protection film on a second surface of the panel layer with a second adhesion layer, disposing the panel on a stage, cutting the panel on the stage along a closed-curve line to a predetermined depth extending from the second protection film to at least a portion of the first adhesion layer, and separating a first portion of the panel inside the closed-curve line from a second portion of the panel outside the closed-curve line, such that the second portion is removed simultaneously with the entire first protection film according to a first boundary by the line and a second boundary between the panel layer and the first protection film.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/779,505, filed Jan. 31, 2020, which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/658,768, filed Jul. 25, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No.10,553,831, which claims priority to and the benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2016-0129875, filed Oct. 7, 2016, the entire contentof all of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

One or more embodiments relate to display apparatuses and methods ofmanufacturing the display apparatuses, and more particularly, toflexible display apparatuses with respect to which a process of cuttinga rim of a flexible panel is improved to cut the flexible panel to adesired shape and methods of manufacturing the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a flexible display apparatus is an apparatus havingflexibility by forming a device layer for producing an image on aflexible substrate, and has an advantage in that the flexible displayapparatus may be bent if necessary. When the flexible display apparatusis manufactured, a rim of a flexible panel is cut to a desiredspecification and shape, e.g., a round corner shape.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments include display apparatuses with respect towhich a process of cutting a rim of a flexible panel is improved to cutthe panel to a desired shape and methods of manufacturing the same.

According to one or more embodiments, a method of manufacturing adisplay apparatus includes, preparing a panel, such that the panelincludes a panel layer to display an image, a first protection filmattached to a first surface of the panel layer with a first adhesionlayer, and a second protection film attached to a second surface of thepanel layer with a second adhesion layer, disposing the panel on astage, such that the stage faces the first protection film, cutting thepanel on the stage along a closed-curve cutting line to a predetermineddepth, the predetermined depth extending from the second protection filmto at least a portion of the first adhesion layer, and separating afirst portion of the panel inside the closed-curve cutting line from asecond portion of the panel outside the closed-curve cutting line, suchthat the second portion is removed simultaneously with the entire firstprotection film according to a first boundary by the cutting line and asecond boundary between the panel layer and the first protection film.

The inside region of the closed-curve cutting line may include a displayunit on which an image is displayed, and the outside region of theclosed-curve cutting line may include a dummy unit which is anon-display region.

The cutting of the flexible panel may include irradiating a laser alongthe closed-curve cutting line from a side of the second protection film.

A cutting groove formed by the laser may have a space gradually reducingtowards the first adhesion layer from the second protection film.

The laser may include one of a CO₂ laser, a green laser, an infrared raylaser, and an ultraviolet ray laser.

The disposing of the flexible panel disposed on the stage may includetightly fixing the flexible panel on the stage.

The stage may include a suction hole, and the fixing of the flexiblepanel on the stage may include attaching the flexible panel to the stageby applying suction force to the flexible panel through the suctionhole.

The method may further include forming a polarizing layer on the panellayer of the inside region of the closed-curve cutting line from whichthe first protection film is removed.

The polarizing layer may include a polarizing film to be attached to thepanel layer.

The cutting of the flexible panel on the stage may include forming theflexible panel with an edge having an inclined shape in which a width isgradually increased, and forming the polarizing layer may includeforming the polarizing layer with a straight edge perpendicular to a topsurface of the panel layer.

The closed-curve cutting line may have a rectangular shape having roundcorners.

The closed-curve cutting line may have a shape in which a rectangularshape is attached to a side of a circle.

The panel layer may include an organic light-emitting diode.

According to one or more embodiments, a display apparatus includes apanel including a panel layer to display an image, a protection film ona first surface of the panel layer, and a polarizing layer on a secondsurface of the panel layer, the first and second surfaces beingopposite, wherein an edge of the panel layer is inclined at apredetermined angle with respect to an imaginary line, the imaginaryline extending along a normal to the polarizing layer.

The flexible panel may have an edge having an inclined shape in which awidth is gradually increased from the protection film towards thepolarizing layer.

A width of the flexible panel may be gradually increased from theprotection film to the panel layer, and the panel layer and thepolarizing layer may have the same width.

An adhesion layer may be disposed between the protection film and thepanel layer.

The polarizing layer may include a polarizing film to be attached to thepanel layer.

The polarizing film may be directly on the flexible panel.

The flexible panel may have an inclined edge, and the polarizing filmmay have a straight edge perpendicular to the top surface of the panellayer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art bydescribing in detail exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a flexible panel of a flexible displayapparatus seated on a stage for cutting the flexible panel to a desiredshape according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.1 ;

FIG. 3A illustrates a cross-sectional view showing a process of lasercutting the flexible panel of FIG. 2 along a cutting line according toan example embodiment;

FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective view of the flexible panel in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C illustrates a magnified view of a region A of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A illustrates a cross-sectional view showing a process of removinga dummy unit of the flexible panel that is cut in FIG. 3A together witha protection film;

FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of the resultant product of FIG.4A;

FIG. 5A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the flexible panelseparated in FIG. 4A on which a polarizing layer is formed;

FIG. 5B illustrates a perspective view of the resultant product of FIG.5A;

FIG. 5C illustrates a magnified cross-sectional view of both edges ofFIG. 5A;

FIG. 5D illustrates a magnified cross-sectional view of a region B inFIG. 5C;

FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view showing an example of a modification of acutting line of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view showing an inner structure ofa display unit of the flexible panel of FIG. 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings; however, they may be embodied indifferent forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey exemplary implementations to those skilled in the art.

In the drawing figures, the dimensions of layers and regions may beexaggerated for clarity of illustration. It will also be understood thatwhen a layer or element is referred to as being “on” another layer orsubstrate, it can be directly on the other layer or substrate, orintervening layers may also be present. In addition, it will also beunderstood that when a layer is referred to as being “between” twolayers, it can be the only layer between the two layers, or one or moreintervening layers may also be present. Like reference numerals refer tolike elements throughout.

In the following embodiments, the singular forms include the pluralforms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Further, in thefollowing embodiments, it will be understood that the terms “comprise”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, and/or components, but do not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, and/or components,and/or groups thereof.

When a certain embodiment may be implemented differently, a specificprocess order may be performed differently from the described order. Forexample, two consecutively described processes may be performedsubstantially at the same time or performed in an order opposite to thedescribed order.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flexible panel 100 of a flexible displayapparatus seated on a stage 200 for cutting the flexible panel 100 to adesired shape according to an example embodiment. FIG. 2 is across-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1 .

Generally, a flexible display apparatus may have a structure includingthe flexible panel 100 having flexibility and a housing that supportsthe flexible panel 100. Here, a process of cutting a rim of the flexiblepanel 100 to a desired size and shape will be described.

Referring to FIG. 1 , it is assumed that the flexible panel 100 on thestage 200 is cut out along a closed-curve cutting line L having arectangular shape with rounded corners. A region outside theclosed-curve cutting line L to be cut off may be a dummy unit 100 b,i.e., a region which is a non-display region, and the remaining regioninside the closed-curve cutting line L may be a display unit 100 a,i.e., the desired product.

Referring to FIG. 2 , for a cutting operation, the flexible panel 100 isfixed on the stage 200. To do so, the stage 200 includes a suction hole201 connected to a suction pump 202, e.g., a vacuum pump. Accordingly,when suction force is applied to the suction hole 201 by operating thesuction pump 202, the flexible panel 100 is attached to and fixed on thestage 200 due to negative pressure.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the flexible panel 100 may include a panellayer 140, on which an image is produced, and first and secondprotection films 110 and 120 on respective opposite surfaces of thepanel layer 140. The first and second protection films 110 and 120 areattached to the opposite surfaces of the panel layer 140 with first andsecond adhesion layers 131 and 132, respectively. In other words, thefirst adhesion layer 131 is between the first protection film 110 andthe panel layer 140, and the second adhesion layer 132 is between thesecond protection film 120 and the panel layer 140.

When the flexible panel 100 is fixed on the stage 200, the firstprotection film 110 is disposed facing the stage 200 and attached, e.g.,directly, to the stage 200, and the second protection film 120 maydefine an outermost upper surface of the flexible panel 100.Accordingly, when the flexible panel 100 is cut, e.g., with a laser, thecutting is performed on a side of the second protection film 120opposite to the first protection film 110, as will be described in moredetail below.

A method of manufacturing the flexible panel 100 including the cuttingprocess will be described below in detail. Prior to describing themanufacturing method, an internal structure of the panel layer 140 willbe described with reference to FIG. 7 .

Referring to FIG. 7 , the panel layer 140 may include a thin filmtransistor (TFT) 141 and an organic light-emitting diode 142. In detail,an active layer 141 f may be formed on a buffer layer 141 a, which ispositioned on a flexible substrate 140 a, and the active layer 141 f mayinclude a source region and a drain region, on which an N-type or aP-type dopant is highly doped. The active layer 141 f may include anoxide semiconductor. For example, the oxide semiconductor may include ametal element, e.g., Zn, In, Ga, Sn, Cd, Ge, or Hf of Groups 12, 13, and14, and an oxide of the metal element. For example, the active layer 141f may include G-I—Z—O[(In₂O₃)a(Ga₂O₃)b(ZnO)c] (where a, b, and c areintegers respectively satisfying a≥0, b≥0, and c>0). A gate electrode141 g may be formed above the active layer 141 f with a gate insulatingfilm 141 b therebetween. A source electrode 141 h and a drain electrode141 i are formed above the active layer 141 f. An interlayer insulatingfilm 141 c is formed between the gate electrode 141 g and the source anddrain electrodes 141 h and 141 i. A passivation film 141 d may be formedbetween the source and drain electrodes 141 h and 141 i and an anodeelectrode 142 a of the organic light-emitting diode 142.

An insulating planarization film 141 e may be formed on the anodeelectrode 142 a, and the organic light-emitting diode 142 may be formedin the insulating planarization film 141 e after forming a predeterminedopening 142 d in the insulating planarization film 141 e. The insulatingplanarization film 141 e may include, e.g., acryl.

The organic light-emitting diode 142 displays predetermined imageinformation by emitting red, green, and blue light. The organiclight-emitting diode 142 may include the anode electrode 142 a that isconnected to the drain electrode 141 i of the TFT 141 to receivepositive power from the drain electrode 141 i of the TFT 141, a cathodeelectrode 142 c that covers all pixels and supplies negative power tothe whole pixels, and an emission layer 142 b between the anodeelectrode 142 a and the cathode electrode 142 c and emitting light. Ahole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an electrontransport layer (ETL), and an electron injection layer (EIL) may bestacked adjacent to the emission layer 142 b.

For reference, each pixel may include the emission layer 142 b and threepixels that respectively may emit red, green, and blue light may form aunit pixel. Also, an emission layer may be commonly formed on all thepixel regions regardless of the locations of the pixels. At this point,the emission layer 142 b may be formed by vertically stacking orcombining layers that include light-emitting materials that emit red,green, and blue light. If white light is emitted, a combination of otherlight colors is also possible. Also, a color conversion layer or a colorfilter that converts the emitted white light to a predetermined colormay be included.

The emission layer 142 b may be susceptible to moisture. Thus, theemission layer 142 b may be protected by forming a thin filmencapsulating layer on the cathode electrode 142 c. The thin filmencapsulating layer may be formed by alternately stacking organic filmsand inorganic films.

A process of cutting a rim of the flexible panel 100 having the panellayer 140 may be performed as follows.

First, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the flexible panel 100 isfixed on the stage 200 by suction, e.g., adsorbing the flexible panel100 to the stage 200, with an upper surface 120 a of the secondprotection film 120 defining the outermost upper surface of the flexiblepanel 100. Next, a laser is irradiated onto a side of the secondprotection film 120 of the flexible panel 100 while moving a laserirradiator 300 along the closed-curve cutting line L. That is, the laseris, e.g., continuously, irradiated onto the upper surface 120 a of thesecond protection film 120, while the laser irradiator 300 moves alongthe closed-curve cutting line L, as illustrated in FIG. 3B.

Then, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3C, a cutting groove 101 may beformed in the flexible panel 100 along the closed-curve cutting line Las a result of the laser irradiation onto the second protection film120. At this point, the strength of the laser is controlled, e.g.,adjusted, so that a depth of the cutting groove 101 is not deeper thanthe first adhesion layer 131, e.g., from the upper surface 120 a of thesecond protection film 120. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, thecutting groove 101 extends, e.g., continuously, through the secondprotection film 120, the second adhesion layer 132, the panel layer 140,and at least partially through the first adhesion layer 131, withoutreaching the first protection film 110.

The cutting groove 101 does not reach the first protection film 110, asthe first protection film 110 may be removed together with the dummyunit 100 b, i.e., a portion of the flexible panel 100 outside theclosed-curve cutting line L, as will be discussed in detail withreference to FIGS. 4A-4B below. As the cutting groove 101 does notextend into the first protection film 110, operation time for the laserirradiator 300 is minimized, i.e., as time for cutting the firstprotection film 110 is eliminated, and risk of generating acontamination material is reduced. Further, a risk of damaging the stage200 beyond the first protection film 110 is prevented or substantiallyminimized.

Referring back to FIG. 3C, the cutting groove 101 formed by the lasermay have a gradually reduced width toward an inner side from the outerside of the cutting groove 101, e.g., a width of the cutting groove 101in the second protection film 120 is larger than a width of the cuttinggroove 101 in the panel layer 140. For example, the laser may be any oneof a CO₂ laser, a green laser, an infrared ray laser, and an ultravioletray laser.

Next, after forming the cutting groove 101 along the closed-curvecutting line L, the display unit 100 a, i.e., a portion inside theclosed-curve cutting line L, and the dummy unit 100 b, a portion outsidethe closed-curve cutting line L, are separated from each other, asillustrated in FIGS. 4A-4B. That is, after cutting the flexible panel100 in a desired shape along the closed-curve cutting line L, theunnecessary outer rim is separated, e.g., removed.

At this point, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the first protectionfilm 110 of the display unit 100 a is simultaneously separated togetherwith the dummy unit 100 b. That is, since the cutting groove 101 isformed by laser cutting, the display unit 100 a inside the closed-curvecutting line L and the dummy unit 100 b outside the closed-curve cuttingline L are connected to each other by only the first protection film110. Thus, when the first protection film 110 is removed, e.g., pulledaway, the dummy unit 100 b outside the closed-curve cutting line L mayalso be removed, e.g., pulled away, together with the first protectionfilm 110. Accordingly, the dummy unit 100 b and the first protectionfilm 110 are simultaneously removed in a single process.

Next, as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a polarizing layer 150 isformed on the panel layer 140 from which the first protection film 110is removed, e.g., the polarizing layer 150 may be attached to a surfaceof the panel layer 140 including remains of the first adhesive layer131. The polarizing layer 150 may be formed, e.g., by attaching apolarizing film to the panel layer 140. When the display unit 100 a ofthe flexible panel 100 is installed on a housing, the manufacturing of aflexible display apparatus is completed.

When both edges of the flexible panel 100, on which the polarizing layer150 is formed, are magnified, as illustrated in FIG. 5C, the flexiblepanel 100 has an inclination structure in which a width of the flexiblepanel 100 is gradually increased from the second protection film 120toward the polarizing layer 150. This is because the cutting groove 101has a shape in which a space thereof is gradually reduced from thesecond protection film 120 due to the laser cutting, and thus, the edgeof the flexible panel 100 has an inclination shape as depicted in FIG.5C after removing the dummy unit 100 b. Accordingly, a width W1 of thepolarizing layer 150 is greater than a width W2 of the second protectionfilm 120. In detail, an inclination shape is formed from the secondprotection film 120, in which the cutting groove 101 is formed by alaser, to the panel layer 140, and the polarizing layer 150 has the samesize as the panel layer 140.

In other words, as illustrated in FIG. 5D, the inclination structure ofthe flexible panel 100 is gradually increased from the second protectionfilm 120 toward the polarizing layer 150, e.g., along an angle θ. Indetail, as the width of the flexible panel 100 is gradually increasingfrom the second protection film 120 toward the polarizing layer 150, adistance d3, i.e., a distance between an edge of the second protectionfilm 120 and an imaginary line I, is larger than a distance d2, i.e., adistance between an edge of the second adhesion layer 132 and theimaginary line I. Similarly, the distance d2, i.e., a distance betweenan edge of the second adhesion layer 132 and the imaginary line I, islarger than a distance d1, i.e., a distance between an edge of the apanel layer 140 and the imaginary line I. The edges of the secondprotection film 120, the second adhesion layer 132, and the panel layer140 facing the imaginary line I are collinear, so the angle θ is definedbetween the imaginary line I and the collinear edges. The imaginary lineI is an imaginary line extending along a normal to the polarizing layer150 at an edge of the polarizing layer 150, i.e., a distance d0 betweenthe imaginary line I and the edge of the polarizing layer 150 is zero.For example, the imaginary line I may extend from the center of thebottom of the cutting groove.

When a flexible display apparatus is manufactured by using the methoddescribed above, cutting of the stage 200 on which the flexible panel100 is disposed may be prevented. That is, if a cutting groove were tobe formed through an entire thickness of a flexible panel, e.g., from asecond protection film to a first protection film, by performing acutting operation using a laser, a cutting line could have been formedin a stage supporting the flexible panel, e.g., along the closed-curvecutting line L, thereby damaging the stage.

However, in the method according to the current embodiment describedabove, the cutting groove 101 is formed only up to the first protectionfilm 110. Thus, formation of a cutting line in the stage 200 isprevented, thereby preventing or substantially minimizing damage to thestage. Also, manufacturing costs may be minimized and productionefficiency may be increased, as it is unnecessary to prepare anexclusive stage for each specification of a product, i.e., the samestage 200 may be used for all products regardless of the specifications.

Further, as described above, since the dummy unit 100 b and the firstprotection film 110 may be simultaneously removed in a single process,the separation operation may be rapidly performed. Accordingly, when themethod according to the current embodiment is used, productivity of theflexible display apparatus may be greatly increased.

In the current example embodiment of the present disclosure, theclosed-curve cutting line L has a rectangular shape with round corners.However, this is an example and may be modified in various ways. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 6 , the shape of a closed-curve cuttingline L may be a rectangle attached to a side of a circle.

Example embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specificterms are employed, they are used and are to be interpreted in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation. In someinstances, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art asof the filing of the present application, features, characteristics,and/or elements described in connection with a particular embodiment maybe used singly or in combination with features, characteristics, and/orelements described in connection with other embodiments unless otherwisespecifically indicated. Accordingly, it will be understood by those ofskill in the art that various changes in form and details may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention asset forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display apparatus, comprising: a panel layer todisplay an image; a protection film on a first surface of the panellayer; and a polarizing layer on a second surface of the panel layer,the first surface of the panel layer and the second surface of the panellayer being opposite to each other, wherein a width of a first surfaceof the protection film is greater than a width of a second surface ofthe protection film in a direction parallel to the first surface of thepanel layer, the first surface of the protection film being close to thefirst surface of the panel layer, and the second surface of theprotection film being opposite to the first surface of the protectionfilm, and wherein a width of the first surface of the panel layer isgreater than the width of the first surface of the protection film. 2.The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising anadhesion layer between the first surface of the protection film and thefirst surface of the panel layer.
 3. The display apparatus as claimed inclaim 2, wherein a width of a first surface of the adhesion layer closeto the first surface of the protection film is less than a width of asecond surface of the adhesion layer close to the first surface of thepanel layer.
 4. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein thepolarizing layer is directly on the panel layer.
 5. The displayapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first surface of thepolarizing layer close to the second surface of the panel layer and asecond surface of the polarizing layer opposite to the first surface ofthe polarizing layer have a same width.
 6. The display apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the polarizing layer comprises a polarizingfilm to be attached to the panel layer.
 7. The display apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the panel layer is a flexible layer.
 8. Thedisplay apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel layercomprises: a flexible substrate; at least one thin film transistor onthe flexible substrate; an organic light-emitting diode on the flexiblesubstrate, the organic light-emitting diode comprising a first electrodeelectrically connected to the at least one thin film transistor, asecond electrode, and an emission layer between the first electrode andthe second electrode; and a thin film encapsulating layer on the organiclight-emitting diode, the thin film encapsulating layer comprising atleast one organic layer and at least one inorganic layer.
 9. A displayapparatus, comprising: a flexible substrate; at least one thin filmtransistor on the flexible substrate; a light-emitting diode on theflexible substrate; a thin film encapsulating layer on thelight-emitting diode, the thin film encapsulating layer comprising atleast one organic layer and at least one inorganic layer; a polarizinglayer on the thin film encapsulating layer; a protection film on theflexible substrate; and an adhesion layer between the flexible substrateand the protection film, wherein a width of a first surface of theprotection film is greater than a width of a second surface of theprotection film, the first surface of the protection film being close tothe adhesion layer, and the second surface of the protection film beingopposite to the first surface of the protection film, and wherein awidth of the flexible substrate is greater than the width of the firstsurface of the protection film.
 10. The display apparatus as claimed inclaim 9, wherein a first surface of the polarizing layer close to thelight-emitting diode and a second surface of the polarizing layeropposite to the first surface of the polarizing layer have a same width.11. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the polarizinglayer comprises a polarizing film.
 12. The display apparatus as claimedin claim 9, wherein a width of a first surface of the adhesion layerclose to the first surface of the protection film is less than a widthof a second surface of the adhesion layer close to the flexiblesubstrate.
 13. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein thelight-emitting diode comprises an organic light-emitting diode.
 14. Thedisplay apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the thin filmencapsulating layer comprises a structure in which the organic layer andthe inorganic layer are alternately stacked.